Occupy Pittsburgh is calling for an International Solidarity and Action Day against BNY Mellon today. Or the kind of action that won't be widely reported in the corporate media we should guess. Occupy Pittsburgh has occupied the downtown public park, of which there is a dispute of how "public", of BNY Mellon for some several months now.
Here's the
statement from the group:
Occupy Pittsburgh is calling out to the 99% around the world for a Day of International Solidarity and Action against BNY Mellon on January 10. This is the day we go before a judge to fight for our right to continue our nonviolent protest against the greed, corruption, and influence of the 1%. We ask that you stand with us and tell BNY Mellon, the bank of the 1% that you can’t evict an idea whose time has come!The People of Pittsburgh, like many others around the globe, answered the call to action that Occupy Wall Street put before the world on October 15th. Since then, we have peacefully rallied and occupied People’s Park, the space formerly known as Mellon Green. Pittsburgh’s is the only Occupation to reclaim land from a bank.BNY Mellon is now calling for Occupy Pittsburgh’s eviction. This is a blatant attempt by BNY Mellon to silence us and to prevent us from resisting the corruption by the 1% of our political and economic systems. In response, we have announced our own eviction of BNY Mellon from our city. BNY Mellon’s fraudulent and exploitative practices have denied its customers and its workers billions of dollars in wages and benefits. We are fighting to redefine the ethics of our economy and to resist corporate control of our cities, our spaces, our politics and our lives.The fight for People's Park is not just a fight over an encampment. It is a fight against the overwhelming dominance that corporations and markets exercise over the very conditions of existence. This fight is not about piece of land, but a fight against the 1% that hoards life’s resources, corrupt our democracy, silence free speech, and poison our planet !We have one response: You can’t evict an idea whose time has come!
There has been a legal attempt by BNY Mellon to remove the Occupy Pittsburgh protesters, who have winterized their occupation to the best of their ability and partly thanks to local groups and
Firedoglake's Occupy Supply efforts. In fact, this reporter was there when various supplies were handed out at the camp several weeks ago. Just a personal observation: that is not the easiest kind of protesting that I have seen.
Occupy Pittsburgh also asks that if you're participating in today's action that you do these things as a show of support:
- Hold non-violent demonstrations against BNY Mellon around the world (the bank’s corporate headquarters is One Wall Street, New York City). As a multinational banking institution BNY Mellon has offices around the globe including offices in; Boston, London, Moscow, Sydney, Cairo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and many other population centers around the world
- Wear bandanas, Guy Fawkes masks, or similar coverings to express solidarity with the anonymous and amorphous “99%” in general and the 50 Jane Does and 50 John Does named in the lawsuit in particular. This, of course, is merely a suggestion subject to the comfort level of those involved;
- Engage in autonomous direct actions ***;
- Send mail supporting Occupy Pittsburgh to BNY Mellon’s Pittsburgh office (500 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15258) with the return address of #1 People’s Park, Pittsburgh PA 15219; and
- Temporarily change your addresses on Facebook and other web sites to #1 People’s Park, Pittsburgh PA 15219;
- If you would like assistance coordinating a traditional media presence or institutional turnout please email jan10@occupypittsburgh.org.
***Occupy Pittsburgh and our allies will not endorse, plan, or coordinate any unlawful or violent actions.
You can read the entire press release at Occupy Pittsburgh's website.
